Turning Six and Other Updates

It's been a while since I've done an update post on just Andrew, so I thought I'd take a minute and just write down a few things this little monster is up to.

In January we met with with Andrew's Nephrologist who we've been following with since his NICU days. Because of some of the medications that he was on in NICU he's has had kidney stones. Apparently they don't bother kids like they do adults (or so I'm told) but last summer after his 6 month ultrasound there was no sign of any kidney stones...we did a repeat ultrasound in December and once again they are still gone. This is cause for celebration, because this means we have one less doctor we need to follow with. And that makes for one happy mom!

Another medical update for this little guy. We met with Andrew's neurologist last month and he recommended we start doing botox treatments. Yep. Botox. That cosmetic wrinkle-eraser is a pretty common treatment with those with cerebral palsy. CP affects the muscles and in Andrew's case it affect his legs. The injections will be in his be in his hamstrings and calf muscles to help unblock the nerve impulses which restrict his movement. The big goal is that we'll be able to build up strength in muscles that he has never used and hopefully this will help us get a little closer to walking independently. These treatments are pretty common in the CP world. But somehow it's still overwhelming and I'm nervous to put my child through these treatments. It's hard to see him have to deal with so much at such a young age and hoping that he will respond well to the injections. Thank goodness he'll be put out for the procedure and I'm crossing my fingers that all will go well. If so, the botox will last 4-6 months and then we'll most likely continue the treatments.

In other news in Andrew's world....he's getting close to having another birthday. Just a month away. If you ask him how old he his. He is very quick to respond. "I'm six" we keep trying to convince him that he is turning THREE. With no avail he still responds "I'm six".  I really can't believe where time has gone. He has turned into such a little boy this last year. And I think the three year old tantrums have come early and boy are they even more fun than two year old tantrums.

Turning three also means that we no longer qualify for the early intervention program, but preschool is our next step. I just have to say, this seems like a HUGE step...at least for me. We've meet with Andrew's preschool about 3 different times discussing his need and services. He'll be starting shortly after his birthday and will be going 5 days a week for 2 1/2 hours a day, plus riding a bus to and from school. Seems like so much for a little three year old. I really don't know what I'm going to do without my little buddy for half a day. I will have to say though,  I've been so impressed with all that they offer and the types of special ed programs they have here Texas. We have a really great school district and I'm so grateful for programs to help him grow. After nine years of teaching special ed, I will admit it is such a different experience going through this whole process with my own child. Andrew on the other hand is going to LOVE every minute of preschool.

This is him stomping off mad after our last meeting because he couldn't ride the bus home. 

I don't think anything can really prepare you for being a mom to a special needs child. Like I said earlier, it's a whole different world being on the other side of the table in all the meetings and having it be your child everyone is discussing. When you're pregnant you try to read all the "how to books" as you venture on the the new world of parenting. People seem to give you lots of advice too.   But there's never the chapter of being a special needs mom and how to emotionally handle all the ups and downs.  None of the advice seems to really matter. There are so many things that nobody tells you when it comes to being a special needs mom. Andrew is a whole book of his own. Maybe things will get easier as he gets older, but I'm pretty sure they'll just get a whole heck of a lot complicated and harder.

I guess this has been on my mind a lot the last few months with preschool in our near future and truly entering the special ed world. So I thought I'd share my thoughts, since this blog has become my journal. So there you go...

It has been nice to connect with some wonderful moms in a local preemie group and a local cerebral palsy group. That understand those "unwritten pages in the book".  There are many amazing moms out there and many who deal with much more than I do. A while back I read a blog that one mom shared with me. It really rang true and I want to share a small snip it that echos what my heart feels.

 "He (God) gave and continues to give me the strength to keep going and to keep telling about our story.  That was His purpose.  I will tell our story for the rest of my life.  It is a story I know is still being written.  It is an honor that we were chosen for this journey.  I consider myself nothing without God.  I pray that we will tell our story because it isn't about us.  It is about Him.  This happened so that His works might be displayed through us.  Blessed doesn't describe that feeling.  I am humbled and honored to have gone through what we have gone through."

http://ahomeforlondon.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-they-dont-tell-you.html

So grateful for this reminder and the perspective we should have in this life, no matter what we face. We all have our own little trials that each come in their own little packages. I know that each of these experiences will help us become like our Heavenly Father. My hope is that one day I can teach this perspective to Andrew and that we can have faith no matter what life holds.